Image Credit: France 24
Miyū Yamashita of Japan captured her first major title at the AIG Women’s Open, closing with a 70 to finish at 11-under-par. She held off strong challenges from Charley Hull and Minami Katsu, who both carded 69s and tied for second two strokes back. The 24-year-old Japanese star overcame a late bogey on the 17th but made steady pars to secure her breakthrough win.
Hull’s Fight Falls Just Short
Charley Hull gave the home crowd hope with a late surge, including a 14th-hole birdie that brought her within one shot of the lead. However, back-to-back bogeys on holes 16 and 17 halted her momentum, and a missed birdie chance on 18 sealed her fate. Though disappointed, Hull earned her fourth runner-up finish in a major championship and vowed to keep pushing.
Japan’s Major Surge Continues
Yamashita becomes the fourth Japanese woman to win a major in the past two years, joining Mao Saigo, Ayaka Furue, and Yuka Saso in a remarkable run. Her composure and precision drew praise, and she is only the third Japanese player to ever lift the AIG Women’s Open trophy. Fighting back tears during the trophy ceremony, she thanked her family and supporters for helping her reach this moment.
One unforgettable highlight of the final round came from debutant Mimi Rhodes, who recorded a spectacular hole-in-one on the fifth hole when her ball ricocheted off another player’s ball before dropping in. The moment sparked huge cheers and was compared to a scene from Happy Gilmore.
Meanwhile, Spain’s Paula Martín Sampedro claimed the Smyth Salver as the top amateur after a late flurry of birdies, finishing inside the top ten with composure beyond her 19 years.
